Faatimah, Thaakirah, Aakifah & Ruqayyah

Arderne Gardens is an ongoing project about spaces of celebration in South Africa. Hidden in the leafy suburb of Claremont, Cape Town lies Arderne Gardens. The garden was established in 1845 by Ralph Henry Arderne, a successful timber merchant and cabinet maker from England. The story goes that when Arderne placed orders with tradesmen for timber he asked them to bring back saplings for his beloved garden which grew into the greatest concentration of exotic trees in Southern Africa and in time the gardens became famous.  The once private estate has become one of Cape Town’s most loved public gardens and plays host to a rich diversity of celebrations.